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The author of this paper argues that Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) possess significant advantages in delivering certain kinds of interventions. To support this argument he draws on the case of Uganda, which has been relatively successful in reducing HIV prevalence rates and mitigating the worst impact of the AIDS epidemic. He argues that FBOs in Uganda have played a major part in delivering information, encouraging open discussion, providing services, and changing behavior.

The paper argues that FBOs’ success, or potential for success, in developing interventions stems from several sources. FBOs often have extensive networks of people, institutions, and infrastructure, especially in rural areas, where few other such institutions exist. In many cases, members of FBOs demonstrate more commitment to their FBOs compared to other political, social and economic institutions. FBOs often have a direct impact on social institutions, such as schools, which socialise people and change values over time. In addition, their jurisdiction often includes a number of areas closely connected to HIV/AIDS, such as morality, beliefs about the spiritual bases of disease, and rules of family life and sexual activity. Other institutions such as public health organizations, political leadership, and international NGOs have frequently excluded such areas from their activities. For all these reasons, therefore, FBOs are in a unique position to contribute to the campaign against the AIDS epidemic in Africa. However, the author makes a number of caveats on the organisations' effectiveness, which is dependent on a number of factors relating to their position and practices. [adapted from author]

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